Mount Pleasant church could be redeveloped into 51 colourful townhouses

May 29 2020, 9:17 pm

The Bethlehem Lutheran Church building at the southeast corner of the intersection of East 15th Avenue and Sophia Street in Vancouver’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood could be redeveloped into 51 stacked townhouses.

According to the development application submitted by Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects, the proposal for 322 East 15th Avenue calls for three-storey buildings, with 41% of the units to be sized for families (two bedrooms or larger). As well, 25% of the “garden studios” will be dedicated to first-time buyers.

The angled structures are conceived as a “series of smaller blocks” and configured to create a u-shape around a central courtyard amenity space, which acts as an extension of Tea Swamp Park. The property is located just west of Mount St. Joseph Hospital.

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Site of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Site of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Google Maps)

“These four massings are further defined as a series of individually rendered home modules by rotating each module by 45 degrees and shifting them in plane so as to expose the sidewalls of each module,” reads the design rationale.

“In doing so, the form avoids the traditional rectilinear townhouse typology that results in a long continuous massing along the street edge.”

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects)

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects)

This rotation also increases the usable courtyard space by 8,100 sqft per unit, and the triangular spaces created along the public sidewalk are further terraced and landscaped to create an extra buffer between public and private uses.

The units on side of the street and laneway serve to activate the roadways.

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects)

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects)

But apart from the striking geometry, the buildings will also offer colourful facades that are “representative of the bold and vibrant urban character of Mount Pleasant.”

Murals will be placed on acrylic stucco cladding, with all of these facades intended to be read as one giant mural from the perspective of looking at each block in parallel.

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects)

322 East 15th Avenue Vancouver

Artistic rendering of 322 East 15th Avenue, Vancouver. (Marianne Amodio + Harley Grusko Architects)

A total of 36 underground vehicle stalls will be provided. The redevelopment’s total floor area is 40,686 sqft, giving it a floor space ratio density of 1.43 times the size of the 28,400-sqft lot.

The 1964-built church changed hands in December 2018 in a deal worth $14.5 million.

Kenneth ChanKenneth Chan

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